Council set to INCREASE taxi age limits by THREE YEARS in bid to help industry recover

In a bid to keep more taxis on the road, a council is set to give the green light to older taxis being licensed in the borough.

In Telford & Wrekin new taxi vehicle licensing rules ask cabbies to replace often expensive purpose-built vehicles after 12 years. Extensions to that rule are granted if the vehicles are in exceptional condition.

New proposed rules are set to extend the taxi licence age limits by another three years to help cabbies maintain the size of the fleet. The industry was financially ravaged over the coronavirus pandemic and rising fuel costs, plus inflation levels, are providing the latest challenge to the taxi sector.

Earlier this year, Telford & Wrekin Council’s Licensing Team received requests from a private hire vehicle proprietor to review the Council’s existing age limit for private hire vehicles.

As a result of this request, the Council carried out a 28-day public consultation between 19 April and 17 May 2022 on the proposed new age limits for both hackney carriages and private hire vehicles. It also proposed a definition of the term ‘purpose-built hackney carriage’.

Eleven responses were received, 10 from the hackney carriage and private hire trade and 1 from the council’s Strategic Transport & Highway Network Management Service Delivery Manager. All responses supported the proposed increase in vehicle age limits.

Councillors of Telford & Wrekin Council's licensing committee were due to meet on Tuesday 13 September to approve the review of taxi and private hire vehicle age limits. However, that meeting has been postponed due to recent events surrounding the death of HRH The Queen.